The Self-cultivation of a Salted Fish Concubine

Concubine Shen nodded and said, "I shouldn't have disturbed you today. You should get some rest. I also need to go to the spirit of the retired emperor."

As she spoke, Concubine Shen couldn't help but sigh.

It's a good life, but having to attend two major funerals in a row would be hard for even the strongest person to endure.

After Concubine Shen left, Xie Run's place became quiet again.

There were three major funerals in the palace. Xie Run could lie in bed and rest, but Taotao couldn't.

Who said that the one who died was his royal grandfather and the other was his royal uncle?

Taotao still had to follow Aunt Xu to mourn in front of the retired emperor's spirit every day.

No matter how patient a child is, he or she cannot withstand such torture.

After only four or five days, the maids around the second princess, the third princess, and the sixth prince all fell ill one after another.

Xie Run was thinking about asking for sick leave for Taotao when he suddenly heard Taotao bursting into tears.

Xie Run's heart tightened, thinking that something big had happened.

Aunt Xu came into the room carrying Tao Tao, who was crying, and said helplessly, "Your Majesty..."

Xie Run: "What's wrong? Why are you crying so sadly?"

Taotao has never cried so sadly since he was a child.

Nanny Xu: "Your Majesty... Today, when the Fifth Prince saw that the Second Princess, the Third Princess, and the Sixth Prince hadn't attended the wake, he suddenly felt wronged while kneeling and burst into tears."

"I've been coaxing her for a long time, but she's no longer a good girl!"

Xie Run took Tao Tao's hand and asked softly, "Come, tell mother why you are crying?"

"But have you been wronged?"

Taotao nodded repeatedly, his head nodding like a chick pecking at rice.

Xie Run: "What kind of injustice did you suffer?"

Tao Tao wiped her tears and said, "Why don't they go to observe the mourning, but I have to go?!"

Xie Runzheng felt sorry for his son when he heard Taotao crying, "They didn't go, they must have been playing together secretly without my knowledge!"

Tao Tao asked in anger, "Why didn't you take me with you?!"

"I used to play with them!"

Taotao said this and started crying sadly.

I cried as if I was abandoned by the whole world.

Xie Run: “…”

"Play, play, play, all you do is play." Xie Run gritted his teeth and couldn't help but slap him. "Your royal grandfather and royal uncle are both gone, and you still have the heart to think about playing?"

"They are sick, so they took sick leave to go back and rest. When they recover, they will still go to your grandfather's spirit house."

"Besides, your third sister has lost her mother and concubine. She must be heartbroken. How could she have the mood to play with you?!"

"Really?" Tao Tao's face was filled with disbelief. "Last time, Mother asked for leave for me and my son, saying she was not feeling well. In fact, she was just taking my son out to play!"

Xie Run finally understood why this kid thought asking for leave was like playing secretly.

It turns out that she was the one who dug her own grave.

Xie Run said seriously, "So, Mother knows she's wrong, and I won't ask for leave from you anymore."

Taotao stood there in a daze, and it took him a long time to realize what his mother had said.

He was quiet for three seconds, then suddenly raised his head and burst into tears.

"Wow, I can never go play again!"

The emperor happened to come over and heard Tao Tao crying so miserably. He couldn't help but ask, "What happened?"

"Why is the Fifth Prince crying like this for no reason? Is it because you guys didn't serve him well enough?!"

As soon as the emperor said this, the others were frightened and their faces changed immediately.

Xie Run: "Your Majesty, please don't scare them."

When Xie Run explained the reason why Taotao was crying, she felt that there was something wrong with the way the emperor looked at her.

I always feel like she has led her son astray.

Xie Run pretended not to understand and lowered his head to tease his youngest son.

The emperor felt helpless towards both mother and son, and could only coax Tao Tao: "Forget it, since your mother won't ask for leave, how about I grant you leave?"

Taotao finally stopped crying and looked at the emperor with her eyes that were like two black grapes.

"Then I can go out and play?!"

Emperor: "...You can, but you can't go out to play."

Tao Tao said tactfully, "Son knows, just like last time."

The emperor couldn't help but look at Xie Run again.

That look seemed to be saying, look at what kind of person you have raised your son to be.

Xie Run: “…”

Fortunately, the emperor was also busy. He had lunch with Xie Run at the Showa Palace and then hurried to the imperial study.

After they left, Xie Run asked curiously, "Is the Emperor personally in charge of the funeral of the retired Emperor?"

"No." Dan Tao whispered, "I heard that the Emperor has handed over everything to the Empress Dowager. The Empress Dowager works hard every day. The last time I went to pick up the Fifth Prince, I vaguely saw that the Empress Dowager looked a few years older from exhaustion."

Xie Run asked curiously, "Is the Queen Mother so... diligent this time?"

Xie Run originally wanted to say "be content", but he felt it was inappropriate and couldn't find the right word for a long time.

"The funeral arrangements for the retired emperor were extremely well-prepared. The Empress Dowager personally handled every detail, never delegating tasks to anyone else. I heard... that the Emperor said that if things weren't done right, the Empress Dowager would be sent to the Imperial Mausoleum to observe vegetarianism and Buddhist practices, guarding the tomb for the retired emperor for three years."

"I just said..." The Queen Mother suddenly became honest. It was obvious that she was lying.

It turned out that he was frightened by the emperor.

However, it will probably not be long before the Queen Mother realizes that the Emperor is fooling her.

Since ancient times, no empress dowager has been sent to guard the imperial tomb in peacetime.

Xie Run asked again, "What about Concubine Hui's funeral ceremony?"

"It was arranged by Consort Jingshu."

Xie Run: "Your Majesty is really lazy."

Prince Wei's funeral was naturally organized by Prince Wei's Mansion.

For the three funerals, the emperor only needed to show up and did not need to interfere. No matter how busy he was, his duties would be limited.

Taotao got a day off and played in Showa Palace by himself for the whole day, but found it boring, so he went to the Emperor Retired's mourning hall obediently the next day.

Who would have thought that the Sixth Prince was such a clingy person that he couldn't stay in the palace by himself and also insisted on coming here.

Xian Xiuyi was reluctant at first, but with the emperor's men watching on the side, she couldn't interfere too much with the Sixth Prince.

The child wants to observe mourning for the emperor. Is she going to stop him?

Just seeing these two brothers loving each other, I always feel like I am doing something to benefit others.

By November, Xie Run had already rested in Showa Palace for half a month.

Concubine Jingshu suddenly came to visit.

"Sister, you are so happy to have a prince. I have wanted to come visit you for a long time, but I am busy with many things in the palace and I really can't spare the time. I hope you won't blame me."

Xie Run lay on the bed with a faint smile on his face. "I have also managed palace affairs before, so I know how busy you are."

"I just didn't expect you to find time to come and see me."

Concubine Jing Shu tutted, "Sister Zhao Guifei now has two princes by her side, and her words are becoming even more impolite."

Her words were a bit sour, and also sounded like a joke from an acquaintance.

Xie Run sneered: "You're saying this as if I've ever been polite to you before?"

Concubine Jingshu was speechless.

She had talked nonsense to all the concubines in the palace without any fear, but she was repeatedly frustrated with Xie Run.

Come to think of it, Xie Run had never been polite when speaking to her.